Clip for assembly of trim material



Filed Sept. 6, 1952 INVEN TOR. POBEIPT Z 5R0 w/v United States Patent2,7ss,2o9

CLIP FOR ASSEMBLY OF TRIM MATERIAL Robert L. Brown, Ferndale, Mich.

Application September 6, 1952, Serial No. 308,205

1 Claim. (Cl. 287-23) This invention relates to a terminal clip adaptedto be received on the end of a rod, or the like, for attaching the rodto a support and to the method of securing head lining to a roof.

More specifically stated the invention relates to a clip which may besnapped over the free end of an automobile body roof-bow after theroof-bow has been inserted in a hem or listing of the roof head liningand the clip then assembled into the roof rail.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clip in the formof a longitudinally split tubular. member which has a portion adapted tobe snapped over the free end of a rod and having another portion whichmay be frictionally held in the opening of a support.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clip which may beformed from sheet metal and pressed to tubular form having an inwardlyextending tab for retaining the clip to the rod by its engagement with anotch in the rod.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of the interior of anautomobile body roof, a portion of the head lining being broken away toshow the clip applied to the roof bow and the roof rail;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the clip and roof rail incross section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing a top plan view of the clip;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the clip; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the clip.

The head lining of an automobile roof is usually provided with aplurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending hems orlistings through which roof bow rods are inserted to give shape'to theroof lining and to retain the lining in position when the ends of therods are secured to the roof rail.

Heretofore these roof bows have been provided with enlarged andoutwardly bent end portions which required large listings through whichthe bows are pushed prior to securing the roof lining to the roof rail.The large listings permitted the head lining to hang low from the carroof.

The present invention permits the use of a roof bow of uniform crosssectional area so that the end of the bow may be pushed through alisting of a size substantially equal to the thickness of the bow priorto assembly, thereby avoiding low hanging of the head lining. After thebows have been inserted through the listings the improved clips areeasily snapped on the outer free ends of the bows and the clips are thenapplied to the roof rail, securely holding the head lining in positionsmoothly and firmly to the roof without sag.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown the interior of an automobilehaving a fabric head lining 10 provided with a plurality oflongitudinally spaced, transversely extending listings formed bystitched folds 12 through which a bow, in the form of an annularmetallic rod 14 is inserted prior to the application of the head liningto the roof. Adjacent the ends of the rods 14 there is a notch 16 in theside of the rods.

The clip 18 is preferably made from sheet metal and is formed tubularwith a longitudinal split 20 throughout its length. The tubular memberhas a straight portion 22 and an end portion 24 substantially at rightangles to the straight portion 22. The portion 24 has a rounded end 26split at 28 to give resiliency thereto. A stop 30 is pressed outwardlyto limit the insertion of the end portion 22 in an opening 32 in theroof rail 34. The straight portion 22 is provided with a cut out section36 and an inwardly pressed tab 38. The outer end of straight portion 22has an outwardly extending tab 40 which serves as a guide for slidingthe clip over the outer free end of the rod 14. Notches 42 are formed inthe wall of the clip to facilitate bending the tubular section so thatone portion extends at an angle to the other.

After the rod 14 has been threaded through the listing 12, the straightportion 22 of the clip 18 is slipped over the free end of the rod 14until the tab 36 enters the notch 16, there being sufiicient resiliencyin the metal to permit the tab 38 to spring inwardly into the notch 16.This tab 38 then retains the clip on the rod 14. The end portion24 ofthe clip is then snapped into the opening 32 of the side rail 34. Theresilient end sec tions, formed by the splits 28, permit a springingaction to the end portion 24 so that it tightly fits the hole 32. Thereis alsotension in the bowed rod 14 which when the parts are assembledretains the clip in the hole of the side rail 34.

I have herein illustrated and described a preferred form of theinvention, but it will be understood that various changes including thesize, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit of my invention and it is not my intention to limit its scopeother than by the terms of the appended claim.

I claim:

A clip for securing the free end of a rod to a support comprising, atubular sheet metal member having a straight portion and an end portionsubstantially at right angles to the axis of said straight portion, saidtubular portions being split longitudinally throughout their length, aninwardly struck tab carried by said straight portion ,for engagementwith a notch in the side of the rod end for retaining the clip to therod when the rod is received in the clip, and an outwardly pressedportion in said end portion forming a stop, said end portion havinglongitudinal slots adjacent its outer end and the material between theslots being folded inwardly to partially close the free end thereof andto impart resiliency thereto whereby the free end portion isfrictionally held in an opening in the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSwitzerland July 1, 1939

